Hospital Español Auxilio Mutuo is teaming up with PetSmart to help fund
the hospital’s canine therapy program, Auxilio y Sonrisas para
Nuestros Niños (Assistance and Smiles for Our Children).
“At PetSmart, we know the healing power of pets and the positive impact
they have on people,” said Julio Reyes, district manager for PetSmart.
“We’re proud to partner with Hospital Español Auxilio Mutuo to bring
PetSmart Paws for Hope to Puerto Rico and help more children heal
through the power of pets.”
Support from PetSmart will allow the hospital to increase its canine
therapy visits from once a month to twice per month. The partnership
kicks off today with PetSmart funding the program with a commitment of
$11,580 over two years.
“Animal assisted therapy offers a healthy diversion from the usual
hospital routine and an opportunity for social interaction, which we
know are important components to the healing process,” said Jorge L.
Matta, Hospital Español Auxilio Mutuo hospital administrator. “We’re
proud to be able to offer this program to our patients as we know it
will assist in their recovery. We thank PetSmart for believing in this
program and helping us to strengthen it.”
This is the seventh national partnership of its kind between PetSmart
and a hospital pet therapy program; existing programs include Phoenix
Children’s Hospital, Orlando Health, Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego,
SickKids Hospital Toronto, St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Children’s
Health Dallas.
In 2012, PetSmart teamed up with Phoenix Children's Hospital to sponsor
their first animal-assisted therapy program, PetSmart Paws Can Heal. The
initial launch was such a success that PetSmart expanded the program to
hospitals throughout the country with the creation of the PetSmart Paws
for Hope in 2014. The program creates additional pet therapy teams in
hospitals and allows for more daily visits from a therapy animal for
each patient. Additionally, the program provides support for the
patients and their families. PetSmart plans to expand this program into
at least three new hospitals across the country every year, with Seattle
Children’s Hospital kicking off later this year.
About Hospital Español Auxilio Mutuo
El Hospital Auxilio Mutuo, con 131 años de servicio y ubicado en el
corazón de Hato Rey, es el hospital privado más grande y completo de
Puerto Rico y el Caribe. Alrededor de 700 médicos forman parte de la
Facultad Médica del Hospital, con más de 50 especialidades
representadas. Reconocido por su avanzada tecnología y equipo médico, el
Hospital tiene capacidad para 653 camas con licencia, cuenta con
alrededor de 2,000 empleados y 15 centros especializados, incluyendo
Auxilio Centro de Cáncer, Auxilio Pediátrico, Auxilio Cardiovascular,
Auxilio Centro de Trasplante y Auxilio Control de Peso, ubicados en 34
cuerdas de terreno. El Hospital Auxilio Mutuo es una institución sin
fines de lucro, que reinvierte sus ingresos en la Institución y sus
servicios.
About PetSmart
PetSmart,
Inc. (NASDAQ: PETM) is the largest specialty pet retailer of
services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we
believe pets make us better people. That’s why we create more moments
for people to be inspired by pets. This mission impacts everything we do
for our customers, the way we support our associates, and how we give
back to our communities. We employ approximately 54,000 associates,
operate approximately 1,387 pet stores in the United States, Canada and
Puerto Rico and approximately 201 in-store PetSmart®
PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a
broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers
dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart
Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services
in-store. Through petsmart.com and pet360.com, we offer the most
comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S.
through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit
organizations, PetSmart
Charities® and PetSmart Charities® of Canada, PetSmart helps to save
the lives of more than 400,000 homeless pets each year. In addition,
PetSmart supports organizations that make communities a better place to
call home through our philanthropy program, PetSmart
Gives Back™. By giving back to the communities where we live and
work, PetSmart not only celebrates the power of pets to enrich
people's lives—we live it.
Copyright Business Wire 2015